Cigar-lighter



J. H. COHEN CIGAR-LIGHTER May 10, 1938.

Filed March 29, 1933 ClGAlb-LIGBTER Joseph H. Cohen, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to Automatic Devices Corporation,

Bridgeport,

Conm, a corporation of Connccticut v Application March 29, 1933, Serial No. &63,402

23 Claims.

This invention relates to electric cigar-hghters,

and more particularly, to devices o! this character 'for use with automobiles, although it is applicable for home, oflice and other similar use. More speciflcally,-it is an 'improvement over that form of automatically controlled `cigarlighter shown in my copending application Serial No; 624,193,

filed July 23, 1932.-

a cigar-lighter with novel forms oi' structure adapted to normally support the removable igniting unit in an inoperative position in a socket and a'rranged to maintain a circuit controlling interponent in an energizing position until the igniting unit is heated a predetermined extent, whereupon thermostatic means releases the interpor'ent and allows it to move the removable igniting unit back' into the inoperative position in the socket again.

It is an object oi' the present invention to provide a cigar-lighter having many of the advantages of my aforesaid invention just described, but which will be 'simpler mechanically, more economicalto manufacture and more positive and tool-prooi in its action.

A feature of the present invention is the provision of a cigar-lighter which may be applied to its base with a straight and natural longitudinal movement and moved from an inoperative position to an 'operative'or energizing position on the. base with the same natural straight line movement. ,Also, a novel thermostatic control arranged to catch the removable isniter unit directly and hold it in energizing position tor a predetermined period.

Another feature is the provision o! a catch on the stationary' member of the cigar-lighter havv ing a direct mechanical and electrical connection with the heater element portion of the removable igniting unit to be advantageously heated directly by both radiation and convection.

A further feature is the provision of a novel arrangement for varying the degree oi heat given to`the resistance element and to compensate tor wear oi parts.

Yet another feature is the provisioh oi a thermostatic detent adapted to catch and hold the removable igniting unit directly in an energizing i In my aforesaidapplication, I have disclosed a mehanical click .or knock to audibly warn the operator that the device is heated and ready for use.

Other features and advantages will hereinaiter appear In the drawing- 5 Figure 1 is a completely cross section view taken axially through the center of the device. with the removable igniting unit at the inoperative position in the stationary member.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. i, with fewer n parts in cross section, and with the igniting unit in the energized position.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but shows the catch in its expanded position and the removabe igniting unit moved back again to its inoperative 15 station in the socket.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of a modified form of thermostatic contact.

The cigar-lighter selected for illustrating the present invention is of the so-called sleeve type 20 ior use with automobiles and comprises a base member o for attachment to a panel ll'of an automobile, and a removable igniting unit I! which is normally supported by the base member, but which may be mechanicaliy and electri- 25 cally disconnected for manual transportation' within the car and for handling by various occupants therein for the purpose of lighting cigars, cigarettes and the like.

The base member o comprises a 'sleeve II 30 forming a deep socket M adapted to pass through a suitable aperture in the instrument panel li until a flange ii on the front end thereof engages with`the instrument panel. It is held in this position on the panel by a U-shaped yoke ii 3 having an aperture il passed over a contact sleeve i& at the bottom of the socket M where it is tightened in position and the flange li portion of the socket il drawn flrmly into engagement with the panel il by a washer s and nut ZI run 40 up and tightened on the thread z portion of the contact sleeve ll.

The U-shaped yoke, in addition to clamping the base member in place, serves through the washer ll, nut 20 and sleeve il to conduct grounded current to the socket N if the fiange i! seating on the front face oi' the panel ii falls in this function.

The base member also supports and carries an insulated contact 22. This contact, in its present preferred form, is insuated from the socket by a collar 23 passing through a bore of the sleeve II and insulating washers 24 and !I at the front and rear ends ot the sleeve, and it is held in place on a shouldered'stud !i by anut II' and is then passed through the insulating members just described where it is rigidiy Secured with a primary nut 21. This primary nut serves to locate and hold the contact 22 relative to the socket i& so that the contact cannot rotate within the socket and inadvertently move away from clearance slots 28 in the side of the socket and harmfully engage with the sleeve 13 carrying an opposite pole of the circuit.

A feed wire 28 is connected to the stud 26 and is secured to the latter by a Washer 30 and secondary nut a. Thus, the base member is provided with members (the socket !4 and contact 22) terminating both sides of a car circuit which are insulated from each other.

The removable igniting unit !2 comprises a knob or handle 32, and a plunger section 33 adapted to slidingly fit into the socket !4 and support the igniting unit therein. This plunger section comprises a shoulder 34 on the knob 32 and an aligning sleeve 35 spaced forwardly therefrom by a threaded and shouldered collar 36. It should be particularly noted that this structure forms a support for a spring 31 and sleeve 38, the letter being provided with a flange 39 adapted to engage the front of the socket !4 and limit movement into the socket while the spring 31 normally urges the knob section of the igniting unit rearwardly with respect to the collar in order to prevent the igniting unit from engaging with the fixed contact in the base member if the unit is initially mounted into the socket and yet adapted to yield and permit the unit to be moved ;torwardly by conscious efiort.

The igniting unit l2 is completed with a heater unit 40 preferably having a threaded connection with the auxiliary sleeve 35 which is made of insulation in order to properly insulate the heater unit from electrical connection with the base member ID and with the spacing sleeve 36 portion of the igniting unit. This heater unit comprises a resistance element 4I in the form of a spirally wound band supported in and connected at its outer end to a metal cup 42 where it is secured in place with an overlapping ring 43, and is at its other end supported by and connected to a centrally disposed stud 44 which passes through the cup 42 and a threaded sleeve 45 and rigidly secured in place by the headed section 46 thereof. The stud 44 provides an electrical connection between the threaded sleeve 45 and the inner end of the sprally wound resistance element, but is insulated from the cup 42 and other end of the resistance element by three washers best seen in Fig. 1.

Now, it should be particularly noted that the stationary contact 22 on the base member lil is made of bimetallic strips so as to be thermally responsive and expand upon heating, and is arranged to normally embrace the heater unit and thereby hold the igniting unit in the socket &4. To this end it is preferably provided with two fingers 4'i at opposite sides of the center and spaced wide apart. Also, the fingers are oi' substantial length in order to provide considerable resiliency. These fingers are at their outer ends provided with a bevel ta adapted to be engagecl by the collar &3 on the heating unit 40, and are provided with a concave notch l@ conformlng substantially with the contour of the collar 43. The shape of these parts and the relationship between the fingers Gi' 'and collar section sa of the heating unit :El-l is such that the fingers are first spread apart by the collar as socket id, until the concave notches snap over the collar and hold the igniting unit in the back position within the socket as shown in Fig. 2, the resiliency of the contact fingers 41 and holding strength of the concave notches being stronger than the pressure of the compressed spring 31 while the igniting unit is initially in the back position.

In this back position current is transmitted from the ungrounded stationary contact 22 through the collar 43 to the outer end of the resistance element 4! while the grounded circuit in the base member is transmitted to the resistance element through a spring finger 50, preferably lanced from the side of the sleeve l3, engaging the outer wall of the threaded sleeve 45 and through the latter and the stud 44 passed to the inner end of the resistance element, whereupon the resistance element is gradually brought to iicandescence for the purpose of cigar and cigarette lighting.

As the resist'ance element is brought to incandescence, heat is passed to the collar 43, thence to the ends of the fingers 41 for direct mechanical transmission of heat and is also radiated substantially against the fingers whereupon the thermally responsive bimetallic strips, comprising the contact 22, begin to expand and gradually carry the concave notches 49 on the arms 4'l out of engagement with the collar 43 portion of the igniting unit, the parts being so proportioned that the contact 22, when cold, catches and holds the igniting unit |2 back into the energizing position until the resistance element is brought to a white heat or to another predetermined degree of incandescence. Thereafter. the contacts and the catch formed thereby releases its hold upon the igniting unit and the spring 31 and sleeve 38 assembly on the igniting unit quickly moves the letter to the back inoperative position shown in Fig. 3.

The degree of incandescence may also be indicated to an operator by the provision of several aligned holes in the cup 42, insulating washers and threaded sleeve 3.5, as shown at 5l in Fig. 1, which permt light rays to pass through the bore of the igniting unit and rearwardly through the disk 52 which is preferably made of catalin or other light ray conducting material. operation of the device is as foliows:

The removable igniting unit 82 is normally moved into the scciret id to the inoperative position shown in Fig. i where the ange ti@ on the spring sleeve engages the flange iii oi the socket. The parts ere so arranged that the unit moves easily into this position and special efiort is required to move it deeper into the societ after the ange engages the shoulder. Thiis, the operator releases the removable igniting' unit after it is properly located in the socket in the normal rest or inoperative position.

When it is desired to energize the removable igniting unit, the'operator merely presses the igniting unit deeper into the socket i@ in straight line direction and without rotation 'or special aligning effort against the preesure of the spring 37] until the collar 43 on the heating element i@ spreads the ends of the two spring contact fingers J'i apart and deep enough so that the concave notches &ti snap over the coilar to hold the igniting unit in the baci; or Oj" erative position deep'in the socliet for ene tion by the contacts 22 and E@ cooperati the collar 33 and threaded sleeve *L ately take his hand away from the igniting'unit again and grasp the wheel, gear Shift lever, or other part of the car again for efllcient and regular operation of the car, rather than holding the igniting unit in place as with the usual type of lighter while the resistance element 4| is being heated to incandescence for use.

At the same time, theheating unit 40, by convection and radiation as hereinbefore described, heats the thermally responsive contact 22 and causes the two arms 41 to spread apart slowly as the heating unit is being brought to the proper degree of incandescence. When properly heated, the notches 4| clear the collar 43 and allows the spring 31 to push the igniting unit outwardly with respect to the socket l4 and thereby hold the contacts on the heating unit 40 clear of the feeder contacts 22 and 50 on the base ill. In this, latter movement, there is a snap noise as the flange on the spring sleeve 38 engages the back wall oi' the auxiliary sleeve which will be heard by the operator to Warn him that the removable lgniting unit is satisi'actorily heated and ready for use and that it should be used without delay while the heating unit is incandescent.

Thus, the present invention provides a simple automatic control, which, in eifect, grasps and holds the removable igniting unit itself in energizing position until it is properly heated and thereupon releases it and automatically moves it out of electrical connection after it is properly heated into a position of safety 'with respect to the feeder contacts on the base, thereby minimizing the possibility of excessive drain on the battery or other source of current. The direct mechanical connectionbetween the heating unit and the bimetallic contact provides an economical structure, and, more particularly, provides a Construction which isdirect and highly responsive to the heating of the resistance element. Furthermore, the contact 22 which forms the catch receives heat directly by convection and radiation from the resistance element.

In Fig. 4 there is shown a modified form of combined catch and contact 22a comprising a bimetallic strip which is substantially similar to the preferred form shown in Figs. 1 to 3. It is, however, provided with a bowed base 53 adapted to fit into a slot 54 across the head 55 of a bolt 2Sa in order to prevent relative turning and is held on the bolt by a screw 56 passing through the base -53 and having a threaded connection 51 with the bolt. This contact is also provided with a pair of arms 4'Ia having bevels 48a and concave notches 49a to receive the removable igniting unit |2 in much the same manner as the first form of contact hereinbefore described. However, this modified form of contact has the advantage of making it possible to easily and quickly change the pressure of the catch on the removable igniting unit and thereby increase or decrease the degree of incandescence before release is eflfected by simply tightening the screw' 56 and thereby flattening the bowed base of the contact and at the same time moving the fingers 41a toward each other to increase the pressure and by loosening the screw allowing the bowed section to move outwardly again while the fingers likewise spread outwardly 'in order to decrease the pressure of the catch on the igniting unit' and thereby effect a quicker release. This adjustment is particularly advantageous in order to compensate for any stretch or wear of the contact from continuous use or from constant heating and "cooling, The adjustment may be easily effected by simply inserting a screw driver into the socket and turning the screw 56 in the desired location.

Both forms of the invention have the advantage of partially ejecting the igniting unit from the base into a more convenient position for complete removal, and, at the same time, the partially ejected relative location of these parts provides an auxillary warning to the operator that the igniting unit is in condition for use if he falls to hear the mechanical click of the igniting unit as it is ejected to the back position or if he hears some extraneous click which he thinks is the cigar-lighter, for in the latter situation the igniting unit would still, be in the deep position and visually indicate to the operator that it is not yet properly heated,

If preferred, the contact member 22 or 22a may be made with but a single finger 41 or 4'la respectively by omitting the flnger as shown with dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 4.

The` broader aspects of the invention herein disclosed are described and claimed in my copendingapplications Serial No. 624,193, filed July 23, 1932, and a division thereof, Serial No."118,838, filed'January 2, 1937.

Variations and modiflcations may .be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to obtain Letters Patent, is:-

1. In an electric cigar-lighter, the combination of a stationary base member; a socket in the base member; a removable igniting unit longitudinally manually slidable in said socket from a shallow inoperative to a deep operative position: yielding means normally forcing said ignitlng unit fromsaid deep operative position to said shallow inoperative position; cooperating contacts on the igniting unit and the base member respectively, adapted to engage when the igniting unit is in said deep operable position and disengage when in said shallow inoperative position, one of the contacts on the base member extending into the path of movement of one of the contacts on the igniting unit so that said contacts are maintained in good electrical engagement by thetendency of the igniting unit to move toward inoperative position; and a spring detent adapted to catch and releasably hold the igniting unit deep in the socket in the operative position against the pressure of said yielding means and as a result of said longitudinal movement of the igniting unit to said operative position.

2. In an electric cigar-lighter, the combination of a base member; a socket on the base member; a removable plug manually longitudinally slidable in said socket to a shallow inoperative position and into a deep operative position; a heating coil on said removable plug; yielding means normally urging said removable plug longitudinally from said deep operative position to said shallow inoperative position; cooperating contacts on the igniting unit and the base'member respectively,

,adapted to engage when the igniting unit is in said deep operable position and disengage when in said shallow inoperative position, one of the contacts on the base member extending into the path of movement of one of the contacts on the igniting unit so that said contacts are maintained in good electrical engagement by the tendency of the igniting unit to' move toward inoperative position; and a thermally responsive catch adapted to hold said plug in the deep operative position normally and to release said plug when sleeve with a Imob and collar secured thereto forming shoulders at opposite ends thereof; and yielding means, including a spring and sleeve on said spacing collar between the two shoulders, forming a support for the removable igniting unit in said socket normally in a back inoperative position and yieldable to permit forced travel of the igniting unit deeper into the socket to an operative position.

4. In an electric cigar-lighter, the combinetion of a base member; a socket in the base member; an escutcheon flange on the base member; a removable igniting unit including a spacing sleeve with a knob and collar secured thereto and orming shoulders at opposite ends thereof; and yielding means, including a spring and sleeve having a flange engaging the escutcheon flange on said spacing collar between the two shoulders, forming a support for the igniting unit in said socket normally in a back inoperative position .and yieldable to permit forced travel of the movable igniting unit deeper into the socket to an operative position.

5. In an electric cigar-lighter, the combination F of a base member; a removable plug supported by said base member; a heating element on said plug; and a thermostatic catch on the base member directly engaging the heating element for looking the plug in the base member until the heating element is heated a predetermined extent.

6. In an electric cigar-lighter, the combination of a statlonary base member; a plug adapted to be removably supported in said base; a heating element on said plug; yielding means normally urging the plug member away from the base member; and a thermostatic catch on the base member directly engaging the heating element adapted to lock the plug member in the base member against the pressure of the yielding means and adapted to release and allow the plug to be moved away from the base member under the influence of the yielding means when the heating element is heated a predetermined extent.

7. In an electric cigar-lighter, the combination of a base member; a removable plug supported on the base member and movable longitudinally thereon into operative and inoperative positions; an electrical heating coil on said plug; a ferrule surrounding the coil, and a thermostatically controlled catch for looking said plug in its operative position longitudinally and adapted to release automatically so that the plug may return to its inoperative position long'itudinally when said coil is heated a predetermined extent, said catch comprising a bimetallic detent adapted to snap over the ferrule and thei-eloy lock the plug in operative position.

8. In an electric cigar-lighter, the combination of a base 'member: a socket in the base member; a pluraiity of contacts of opposite polarity on the base member; a removable igniting unit; a `piu-- rality of contacts of opposite polarity on the igniting linit, said igniting unit having a tree slid amse ing fit into a shallow inoperatlve position in the socket where the plurality of contacts on the said igniting unit are entirely free of the said contacts on the base member; yielding means adapted to permit forced movement of the igniting unit deeper into said socket to an energizing position where said plurality of contacts on the base member and said plurality of contacts on the igniting unit are brought into cooperating engagement:

and a thermostatic catch for holding said igniting unit in the energizing position for a predetermined period of time.

. 9. In an electric cigar-lighter, the combination of a base member; a, socket in the base member; a stationary contact in the base member; a combined thermostatic catch and contact in the base member; a removable igniting unit; a plurality of contacts on theigniting unit; a stop` on the igniting unit for limiting free slicling movement of the igniting unit into a shallow position in the socket, where the two contacts on the latter are entirely free of the two contacts on the base member; and yielding means necessitating `a 'forced travel of the igniting unit deeper into the socket into an energizing position where the contacts on the base member and on the igniting unit cooperate, and where the combined catch and contact on the base member holds the igniting unit in the energizing position until the igniting unit is properly heated.

10. In an electric cigar-lighter, the combination of a base; a socket in the base; a removable plug sldable in said socket to a shallow inoperative position and a deep operative position; a heater element carried by said plug; a pair oi contacts associated with the heater element; a plain contact on the base member engaging one of the contacts of the heater element; and a bimetallic combined contact and catch adapted to engage the other contact of the heater element in close proximity thereof so as to be heated directly by radiation and conduction from the heater element.

11. In an electric cigar-lighter, the combination of a base; a socket in the base; a removable plug slidable in said socket to a shallow inoperative position and a deep operative position; a heater element carried by said plug; a pair of contacts associated with the heater coil; a plain contact on the base member engaging one of the contacts of the heater element; and a contact having a bimetallic spring arm with a notch adapted to catch and hold the other contact on' the heater element and in close proximity thereof so as to be infiuenced directly by radiation and conduction of heat from the heater element.

12. In an electric cigar-lighter, the combination of a base; a socket in the base; a removable plug slidably movable in said socket to a shallow inoperative position and a deep operative position; means for partially ejecting the plug' from the socket; a heater element carried by said plug; a pair of contacts associated with the heater coil; a plain contact on the base member engaglng one ofthe contacts of the heater coil; a bimetallic catch and contact including a plurality of yielding arms thermally infiuenced by said heater element; notches in said arms adapted to catch and hold said removable plug in the deep operative position of the sochet; and. means for varying the spacing between said arms and the pressure with which they catch the removable plug, in order to control the degree oi" in-= candescence of the heater coil pilot: to release oi" the notches from the heater element and the ejection of the removable plug.

13. In an electric cigar-lighter, the combination of a base; a socket in the base; a removable plug -slidably movable in said socket to a shallow inoperative position and a deep operative position; means for partially ejecting the plug from the socket; a heater element carried by said plug; a pair of contacts associated with the heater coil; a plain contact on the base member engaging one of the contacts of the heater coil; a bimetallic contact for engaging the other contact on the heater coil and being thermally responsive thereto including an arm with a notch adapted to engage and hold said removable plug in the deep operative position; and means for varying the pressure with which said arm engages and holds said removable plug to tefi'ect a predetermined energization of the heater coil.

14. In `an electric cigar-lighter, the combination of a base; a socket in the base; a removable plug slidably movable in said socket to a shallow inoperative position and a deep operative position; means for partially ejecting the plug from the socket; a heater element carried by said plug; a pair of contacts associated with the heater coil; a plain contact on the base member engaging one of the contacts of the heater coil; a bimetallic contact for engagingthe other contact on the heater coil and being thermally responsive thereto including an arm with a notch adapted to engage and hold said removable plug in the deep operative position; a bowed base on said bimetallic contact; and screw means for fiattening said bowed base and thereby varying the pressure with which said arm engages and holds said removable plug to efiect a predetermined energization of the heater coil. a

15. In anelectric cigar lighter, the' combination of a stationary base member; a socket in the base member; a removable igniting unit longitudinally slidable in the socket into a shallow inoperative position and a deep operative position; yielding means normally forcing said igniting unit from said deep operative position to said .shallow inoperative position; a heating element on the inner end of the igniting unit and having a projecting flange; and a spring detent adapted to engage said flange on the heating element and releasably holding the latter and the igniting unit deep in the socket into operative position against pressure of said yielding means and as a result oi said longitudinal movement of the igniting unit to said operative position.

16. In an 'el'ectric cigar-lighter, the combination of a stationary base member; a socket in the base member; a removable igniting unit longitudinally manually slidable in said socket from a shallow inoperative to a deep operative position; a heating element carried by said igniting unit; cooperating contacts on the base and igniting unit respectively for energizlng said heating element only when the igniting unit is in said deep operative position, one of the contacts on the base- `trical engagement when the igniting unit is in energizing position; and means operable to en- 'gage and detain the igniting unit in its deep operative position against the pressure of said yielding means when the said unit is manually moved to said position while it is below an intended temperature and also operable to nondetaining relation to said unit when the latter is heated to said temperature so as then to allow said yielding means to move the unit to its shallow inoperative position.

17. A lighter as defined in claim 16, wherein the means last-mentioned includes a thermostat.

18. In an electric cigar-lighter, the combination of a stationary base member; .a socket in the base member; a removable igniting unit longitudinally manually slidable in said socket from a shallow inoperative to a deep operative position; yielding means normally forcing said igniting unit from said deep operative position to said shallow inoperative position; and means operable .to engage and detain the igniting unit in its deep operative position against the pressure of said yielding means when the said unit is manually moved to said position while it is below an intended temperature and also operable to nondetaining relation to said unit when the latter is heated to said temperature so as then to allow said yielding means to move the unit to its shallow inoperative position, the means operable to engage the igniting unit including a metallic thermostat itself shaped to provide a spring catch engageable with said unit when the unit is manually moved to deep operative position and the unit is below said intended temperature.

19. In an electric cigar-lighter, the combination of a stationary base member; a socket in the. base member; a, removable igniting unit longitudinally manually slidable in said socket from a shallow inoperative to a deep operative position; yielding means normally forcing said igniting unit from said deep operative position to said shallow inoperative position; and means operable to engage and detain the igniting unit in its deep operative position against the pressure of said yielding means when the said unit is manually moved to said position while it is below an intended temperature and also operable to nondetaining relation to said unit when the latter is heated to said temperature so as then to allow said yielding means to move the unit to its shallow inoperative position, the means operable to engage the igniting unit including a thermostat, the igniting unit including a carrier for the heating element thereof, and said carrier being engaged by the means which includes the thermostat when said means detains the igniting unit in its deep operative position.

20. In a cigar-lighter of the removable type, a holder; an igniting unit movably mounted on the holder and including a heating element; means responsive to solely bodily movement of the igniting unit and heating element toward the holder to close a current supply-cirouit, including the heating element, to heat the latter for use; means, including means responsive to the temperature of the heating element, for moving the igniting unit outwardly of the holder when the heating element attains a predetermined temperature to open the current supply cirouit leading to the heating element, said temperature responsive means being metallic and constituting a part of the current supply cirouit including an electric current supply contact having a surface to normally engage and disengage the heating element directly and 'being movable to open the cirouit when the heating element attains said predetermined heat; and means for electrically connecting said heating element to said temperature responsive means when the latter is in cir cuit=cpening position to again close the circuit whereby the temperature of the heating element may he raised above said predetermined temperature.

21. In a cigar-lighter of the removable type, a holder; an igniting unit movably mounted on the holder and including a heating element; means responsive to movement of the igniting unit and heating element on the holder from a normal open circuit position to close a current supply cireuit, including the heating element, to heat the latter for use; means, including means responsive to the temperature of the heating element, for moving the igniting unit on the holder to normal position when the heating element attains a predetermined temperature to open the current supply eircuit leading to the heating element, said temperature responsive means being metallic, engaging directly the heating element and constituting a part of the current supply circuit and being movable to open the circuit when the heating element attains said predetermined heat; and means for electrically connecting said heating element to said temperature responsive means when the latter is in circuit-cpening position to again close the circuit whereby the temperature of the heating element may be raised above said precletermined temperature.

22. In a clgar lighter, the combination of a Disclaimer filed M arch l 1941, by-

to clams l, 2, 10 u &3317382 socket; an igniting unit mcunted in said socket .for complete removai and replacement; a heating element on the inner end of said igniting unit and including a resistance wire and an annular contact connected thereto and closely thermally encircling said resistance wire; a contact flnger :in the socket to directly engage the annular contact on the heating element and be heated thereby; and means completing an energizing circuit through said resistance wire, said contact finger being heat-responsive so as to electrically disengage said annular contact when the said resistance wire is brought to a desired degree of incandescence.

23. In a cigar lighter, the combination of a socket; an igniting unit mounted in said socket for complete removal and replacement; a, heating element on the inner end of said igniting unit and including a resistance wire and an annular contact connected thereto and cla'sely thermally encirclng said resistance wire; a contact flnger in the socket to directly engage the annular contact on the heating element and be heated thereby; and means completing an energizing circuit through said resistance wire, said contact finger being bimetailic and heat-responsive so as to celectrically disengage said annular contact when the said resistance wire is brought to a desired degree of incanclescence.

- JOSEPH H. COHEN. i

n 1 e e L a l M E n Cuban, Bi'idgeport, Conn.

CIGAR-LIGHTER. Patent dated ne assgnee, Automatic .Devices 

